MINIMAX-W Surges 18% as Hong Kong AI Stocks Advance

AI Stocks Post Double-Digit Gains on March 18

Hong Kong's artificial intelligence sector experienced a significant rally during afternoon trading on March 18, signaling strong, targeted investor demand. Shares of MINIMAX-W led the advance, climbing over 18%. Other notable performers included software company Kingsoft, which rose more than 14%, and AI firm Zhipu, which saw its stock increase by over 13%. The positive momentum also lifted shares of Xunce, which gained more than 8%. This concentrated buying activity occurred even as the broader Hang Seng index slipped, indicating that capital was specifically rotating into companies perceived as AI leaders.

Regional Tech Enthusiasm Boosts Confidence

The rally in Hong Kong was not an isolated event but part of a broader wave of AI-driven optimism across Asian markets. Investor confidence was bolstered by announcements from Nvidia's GTC 2026 conference, which unveiled new products and partnerships that renewed enthusiasm for the semiconductor and technology sectors. This sentiment helped propel other regional markets, with South Korea's KOSPI gaining approximately 4% and Japan's Nikkei 225 climbing around 2.5%, demonstrating a widespread investor appetite for technology-related assets.

Filmart's AI Focus Underscores Local Momentum

The timing of the rally coincides with Hong Kong's Filmart, Asia's premier content market, which ran from March 17-20 and heavily emphasized artificial intelligence. The event featured no fewer than 28 talks dedicated to AI's role in entertainment, from production workflows to screenwriting. Crucially, MINIMAX—one of the day's top-performing stocks—was given a place of prominence at the event alongside other Chinese AI startups. This strong local embrace of AI, contrasting with more cautious approaches in the West, provides a fundamental backdrop for the sector's bullish performance and suggests a deeper industry transformation is underway.